Occupy Activists Arrested at Google HQ for 'Net Neutrality' Protest

A group of Occupy Wall Street activists staged an “Occupy Google” protest Wednesday evening to push the Internet giant to embrace the cause of “net neutrality,” which would allow the government to regulate the rates charged and bandwidth provided by Internet service providers to different users. Several Occupy members were arrested after they refused to leave Google’s Mountain View, CA headquarters.

“Though Google and other major companies such as Netflix, Amazon and Microsoft have come out in support of preserving a free and open web, we believe much more can be done,” the group said on its website, according to CBS in San Francisco. The Occupy Google website includes a call for a protest on July 10th: “Net Neutrality Supporters Unite!”

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Ironically, Google supports the cause. In 2006, Google issued a statement on net neutrality to its users, asking them to “get involved” and “to take action to protect Internet freedom.”

The Obama administration has attempted to introduce net neutrality through the the Federal Communications Commission, whose efforts have thus far been struck down in court.

Occupy Google protesters were allowed to remain on campus until about 9 p.m., but were removed around 11 p.m. for trespassing when they refused to leave.

The protest, which lasted for ten hours and resulted in ten arrests, was carried out by 20 protesters, notes CBS.